A man protesting against cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad has been found guilty of soliciting murder.

Abdul Muhid was convicted on two counts at the Old Bailey.

Muhid, from Whitechapel, east London, led the crowd in chanting "bomb, bomb the UK" and produced placards with slogans, the court heard.

Said to be one of the organisers of the protest in central London on 3 February 2006, halal meat inspector Muhid had denied the charges.

Muhid, 24, was one of hundreds of people who marched from Regent's Park mosque to the Danish embassy in Knightsbridge.

It was one of many demonstrations across Europe and the Middle East against cartoons satirising Muhammad, which were first published in Denmark.

Muhid, who has a previous conviction for smashing a bus stop which featured an advert that offended his religious sensibilities, had argued the cartoons protest was meant to show the hurt and distress Muslims were suffering.

'Annihilate'

The court heard that at the London protest the slogans included "annihilate those who insult Islam", "fantastic four are on their way" and "3/11 is on its way".

The latter two referred to terrorist attacks in London and Madrid, the jury heard.

During the trial, David Perry QC, prosecuting, said: "The drawings of the prophet had not appeared in any UK newspaper.

This behaviour shows what the demonstration was really about. It was an exhortation, an encouragement to terrorism

David Perry QC

"This was supposed to be a demonstration against the publication of the drawings in the newspapers abroad.

"This behaviour shows what the demonstration was really about. It was an exhortation, an encouragement to terrorism."

Video footage seized from a mosque showed Muhid carrying placards into the building courtyard, the Old Bailey heard earlier.